


Hikaru's Stories

by Sigilmancy



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-11-07
Packaged: 2020-11-08 08:55:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20832764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sigilmancy/pseuds/Sigilmancy
Summary: Stories about a kitsune summoner





	1. Thunderstorms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the Weekly Pet Prompt on Subeta, prompt Thunderstorms

There were rarely storms in the desert, but sometimes they happened in Neela because it was located on the coast. The high clouds would build in the moist air over the ocean and then come rolling in, bringing with them the rain and, more importantly for Hikaru, the thunder and lightning. She’d always hated thunderstorms, the sudden flashes of light and loud booms of sound reminded her too much of things she’d rather forget.

The crackling of fire as what remained of the ship burned. The screams of those still alive as they called for help, called for their fellow sailors who were wounded or dead, and prayed to their gods for deliverance from the wreck. A dark night illuminated by the random flashes of lightning, the thunder drowning out the noises as it rolled over the waves and the sound of the heavy rain impacting the surface of the ocean.

When the piece of wood she’d been holding on to was finally too wet to stay afloat it sunk, and Hikaru had gone with it. Dropping into the depths, dark and cold, her lungs burning from the lack of air and her eyes stinging from the salty water.

On that night, she should have died. How she had survived and washed up on a shore nearly a week later was still a mystery. Sometimes she could forget and focus on her present life. But on nights when the storms rolled in off the ocean, all Hikaru could hear in it were the memories she would rather forget.


	2. Demon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the Weekly Pet Prompt on Subeta, prompt Demon

Though some months had passed the memory of nearly drowning was still fresh in Hikaru's mind. She hated it, she hated that it kept her awake at night, that every time there was even a hint of thunder she was right back in that place, coughing and sputtering like she was drowning all over again despite being nowhere near water. Even a bath was out of the question, for she just ended up staring at the full tub before asking someone else to drain it since she couldn't even reach up to her elbow in the water to do that much, it made her feel like she was going to throw up all over again. 

Now she was trying again. The bathroom was well lit and the door was open for a quick escape if needed, but Hikaru stood frozen with the towel wrapped around her. She felt like the water was staring back at her, waiting for her to step in so it could reach up and pull her under, put her right back to death's door as water filled her lungs and drowned her again.

Then the water really was staring back at her; two eyes in the murky depths, but the water hadn't been murky before had it? Hikaru felt her heart racing as her breath caught in her throat, watching a head emerge from the tub. A humanoid head, with hair like seaweed, then shoulders and a torso and arms all covered in dark fish scales. The hands had webbed fingers, and the thing smiled at her with sharp, eerie teeth. It floated up, the torso ending in a mass of tentacles much like an octopus that seemed to somehow support its weight and allow it to crawl towards her as if it were still underwater and not subject to the normal rules of gravity.

Hikaru thought for sure this demon would kill her, but instead it crawled forward on those undulating tentacles and reached out, gently running a hand across her face.

"Do not fear me, little one." The raspy voice echoed in the small space. "I am you, after all. I am a manifestation of your fears, without you I cannot exist. I will not hurt you." It smiled again, but there was no comfort in the smile as its hollow eyes stared into hers.

After that Hikaru didn't know what happened. She woke up in her own bed, undressed but covered in blankets. No one was around for the moment, until her eyes ventured to the corner and fell upon the mass of tentacles and a mouth full of teeth upturned into a grin.


	3. Underwater

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Done for NaNoWriMo 2019

"Damnit, leave me alone!" Hikaru screamed, throwing one of her daggers with scary accuracy at the wall. But the creature, who had introduced itself to her as Cornelia, simply ducked with lightning reflexes before raising herself up and turning to look at what had nearly hit her in the head.

"I cannot do that, Hikaru." Cornelia's voice warbled like it was distorted by water, making Hikaru reach up and cover her ears. "You have to face your fears. Otherwise you will never learn, and I will continue to frighten you."

There was a flash of rage in Hikaru's eyes, her pupils turning into slits as the glamour that held up her human appearance faltered. Fox-like ears poked out of her head and nine swirling tails manifested themselves, flicking in agitation. Before anything else could happen Hikaru took a deep breath and managed to get control of herself, the kitsune aspects disappearing as quickly as they had appeared.

"No. Just....no. I would rather die than go back to the ocean." Her gaze turned to the nearby port, the ringing of ship's bells and the sound of the busy market that was just off the piers.

Before she knew what hit her in that moment of distraction Hikaru felt those webbed hands around her neck and gasped, trying to fight back only to find that there was nothing. Her room had vanished, replaced now by the endless sea of black and blue and the feeling of being weightless but still sinking. Panic set in when she realized she was underwater and starting to drown. Even though she knew some tricks to help tell which way was up all her training was lost to the emotional trauma of the experience and she flailed wildly as the darkness set in.

Death surely would come for her now, or so she thought. To Hikaru's surprise she closed her eyes to accept that she'd drowned only to open them and find herself staring out at the harbor again, completely dry as if nothing had happened. Her head turned quickly to find Cornelia, but the creature was still standing where she had been in the dark, shadowy corner.

"I told you before, didn't I? I am only a manifestation of your fears. And until you face it you will keep having these dreams and hallucinations, and I will not go away. It is your choice, ultimately, but it is not something you should dismiss so lightly. It is your magic that causes this." Cornelia shrugged, indifferent to Hikaru's suffering. If Hikaru wouldn't face what she was afraid of then she would continue to experience whatever was going on, and it made no difference to the creature born of magic and trauma one way or the other because she would continue to exist regardless of if Hikaru got a handle on things or not. She was only trying to help, even if for now that help was being ignored.


End file.
